What it lets you do
- Wearing a loaded backpack all day without your shoulders rolling forward.
- Checking your blind spot with a real head turn instead of just your eyes.
- Finishing a long drive with your shoulder blades still loose.
Back to the muscle map
Traps
From the base of the skull to the middle of the back.
- 7
- Primary muscle
- 24
- Secondary muscle
A big diamond across your upper back, from the base of your skull down the middle of your spine and out to each shoulder. Most people only ever meet the top corner of it.
Where you feel it
Two places, depending on the movement. Shrugs light up the top, where your neck meets your shoulder. Rows and face pulls hit between your shoulder blades, and that's the part almost nobody trains.
If you skip it
The desk posture arrives. Shoulders forward, chest closed, and it settles in long before you ever notice it.
Anatomy and function
The trapezius is a large, kite-shaped muscle that runs from the base of the skull and the neck down to the mid-back, and out to the shoulder blades and collarbones. The upper fibres elevate the shoulders (shrugging), the middle fibres pull the shoulder blades together, and the lower fibres pull them down.
The traps stabilise the shoulder blade during every press and pull, and they carry load in deadlifts, carries and Olympic lifts. Balanced traps, with the middle and lower fibres as strong as the upper, are the foundation of good shoulder mechanics and posture.
How to train it
The volume and frequency below are programming starting points for the traps, to be adjusted to each person's level and recovery.
- Rep ranges
- 8-12 reps on shrugs and rows; 12-20 reps on face pulls and Y-raises
- Frequency
- 2 sessions per week, mostly through back and shoulder training
Key movement patterns
- Shrug (barbell, dumbbell, trap bar) for the upper fibres
- Row with a full scapular squeeze for the middle fibres
- Face pull and Y-raise for the middle and lower fibres
- Heavy carry for isometric loading
Common mistakes
- 01
Rolling the shoulders during shrugs, which does nothing extra and stresses the joint.
- 02
Only shrugging, so the upper traps dominate and the shoulders round forward.
- 03
Using momentum to shrug very heavy weight through a tiny range of motion.
- 04
Ignoring the lower traps, which are essential for overhead pressing.
Exercises for this muscle
31 matching exercises
Primary muscle7
Secondary muscle24
MET 6.5
Dumbbell Farmer’s Walk
MET 5
One Arm Dumbbell Row
MET 4.5
Bent-over Row – Gym80
MET 4.5
Dumbbell Bent Over Row
MET 4.5
One Arm Bent Over Dumbbell Row
MET 4.5
One Arm Dumbbell Row – Rotation
MET 5.5
Renegade Row
MET 4.5
One Arm Neutral Grip Dumbbell Row – Bench Support
MET 4.5
One Arm Dumbbell Row with Rotation – Incline Bench Support
MET 4.5
High Row – Machine
MET 5
T-Bar Row – Machine
MET 6
Trap Bar Deadlift
MET 7
Dumbbell Clean
MET 3.5
One Arm Cable Lateral Raise
MET 3.5
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
MET 3.5
Dumbbell Front Raise – Alternating
MET 3.5
Dumbbell Bent Over Reverse Fly
MET 3.5
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise
MET 3
Seated Lateral Raise – Gym80
MET 3.5
Reverse Cable Fly
MET 5
Dumbbell Z Press
MET 7
Dumbbell Jumping Jacks
MET 3
Side-Lying Lateral Raise – Bench
MET 3
Incline Dumbbell Y-Raise
Frequently asked questions
Do deadlifts build traps?
Yes. Holding a heavy bar loads the upper traps isometrically, which is why strong deadlifters usually have well-developed traps without much direct work.
How do I train the lower traps?
Face pulls with the elbows high, prone Y-raises and overhead carries all target the lower fibres. They respond best to lighter loads and controlled reps.
Why do my traps take over on lateral raises?
Because the shoulders shrug up as the arms rise. Keep the shoulders down, lead with the elbows and stop the raise at shoulder height.
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